Unstuffed Pepper Skillet

I used to make actual stuffed peppers — the kind where you hollow out the peppers, stuff them, bake them upright in a dish so they don’t tip over and dump filling everywhere. At some point I just stopped hollowing anything out. Same flavors, one skillet, rice cooks right in with everything else. It’s faster and, honestly, I like the texture better this way — the peppers stay a little more toothsome instead of going soft and watery from steaming inside a whole pepper shell.

Why This Works

The rice cooks directly in the beef broth and tomato juices instead of separately, which means it actually absorbs flavor instead of just being a neutral side you spoon peppers over. Skipping that step is the difference between “rice with pepper stuff on it” and something where every bite tastes the same. The order matters too: browning the beef first and draining the grease before the rice goes in keeps the dish from turning greasy once the cheese melts in. Covering the skillet while the rice simmers traps enough steam for the rice to cook through in the same 20 minutes the peppers need to soften, so nothing gets held hostage waiting on something else to finish.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp steak seasoning
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 bell peppers, chopped
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup Jasmine rice, uncooked and rinsed
• 2 cups shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, steak seasoning, onion, and bell peppers.
3. Cook until the beef is cooked through and the peppers and onion have softened.
4. Drain any grease from the skillet.
5. Add the diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, beef broth, and uncooked rice. Stir well.
6. Bring to a quick boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and cover.
7. Let it cook about 20 minutes, or until the rice is done to your liking.
8. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
9. Top with the remaining cheese.
10. Let it sit until the cheese melts, or run it under the broiler until it’s melted and a little browned.
11. Serve.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Course: Dinner Cuisine: American Servings: 4 Equipment: Stove, large skillet with a lid

Tips

• Rinse the rice before it goes in — skipping this leaves the finished skillet gummier than it should be, since the surface starch has nowhere to go once it’s trapped under a lid with everything else.
• If the rice still has bite after 20 minutes, add a splash more broth and give it another few minutes covered rather than turning the heat up, which just scorches the bottom before the center catches up.
• Don’t skip draining the beef. Two cups of cheese melting into leftover grease is how this goes from a weeknight dinner to something a little too heavy.

Variations

Swapping in ground turkey works fine if that’s what’s in the fridge, though it comes out noticeably drier — I’d add an extra splash of broth if going that route. Skip the idea of using instant rice to save time; it turns to mush well before the peppers are done. Colby Jack melts a touch smoother than cheddar here, but either one is fine — that’s a genuine toss-up, not a hedge.

Make-Ahead

This one doesn’t hold well as leftovers-to-reheat with the cheese already melted on top — the rice keeps absorbing liquid in the fridge and comes out dense the next day. If you want to prep ahead, chop the onion and peppers the night before and stop there; do the actual cooking fresh.

FAQ

Closing Thoughts

My family piles this with sour cream and hot sauce once it’s out of the skillet, and honestly that’s the right move — the sour cream cools down the steak seasoning and the hot sauce cuts through all that melted cheese. A side salad is fine if you want something green on the plate, but this dish doesn’t need much help.